Dancing Your Way to Health

March 2, 2010 By marie Leave a Comment

If you are looking for a fun way to achieve good health then you can always take up dancing. It does not matter if you feel like you can not go along with the rhythm or you feel that you have two left feet. Try locking your door and close your windows so that no one can see what you are doing and give dancing a try for a few minutes. You will find yourself enjoying soon despite of yourself.

There is no better and more entertaining way to stay fit and in shape than dancing. In recent years, dancing has been recognized as a form of exercise and treatments in health clubs, recreation centers and even dance studios. This provides a more fun and enjoyable alternative compared to the usual exercises like running and cycling.

Dancing offers a lot of mental, physical and social benefits compared to gym work outs. They are also more appealing as well since people do not feel like they are working out – instead, they feel that they are having fun.

You can take up any form of dancing – belly dancing and hip hop jazz are turning out to be a favorite these days. Through doing some moves you can get as much cardiovascular rewards and burn as much calories as you usually do when you take a brisk walk or a long bike ride. While you are dancing, you will also get to lose some weight. The activity can help build up your muscular strength and bone density throughout your whole body.

If you feel that you are stiff in the joints then dancing is a good exercise to take up. Dancing will make you move into multiple directions which can increase the mobility in your joints. This will help your joints function better each day and increase the range of motion on your hips and the flexibility in your spine.

If you are wondering what makes dancing better than taking gym sessions aside from the fact that it is more fun to do – you will get to improve your agility and balance this way. This is something that most gym work outs can not focus on. This is important since having the right balance can help reduce the aging factors.

So if you want to stay fit young and have a sexier body then take up dancing. Staying healthy is an experience that you can always enjoy after all.

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Yoga for Women

February 15, 2010 By marie Leave a Comment

A woman leads a stressful life – compared to men, women are more exposed to health risks and emotional pressure which can cause their health to depreciate.  Aside from that, women also have to deal with hormonal changes which greatly influence a woman’s health. These hormonal changes are one of the reasons why women have to bear increased levels of emotional and mental stress and it is a fact that these distresses are already considered to be an illness and sign of physical weakness.

Pregnancy is also another stage in a woman’s life that can bring various changes in her health.  The different stages that a woman goes through also offer different problems in her health. For instance, menstrual problems and premenstrual syndrome are one of the most leading issues that are affecting a lot of women world wide.

Practicing yoga can greatly help you overcome the health problems that can come your way. Aside from that yoga can give you benefits that will help you become healthier making you overcome these obstacles easily.

For one, practicing yoga regularly can help minimize the negative effects of pregnancy such as nausea and sickness. The stretching poses of yoga will not only make you feel relaxed but it will also stretch your muscles for easy functioning.

If you put yoga in your daily routine, you can balance out your stress and depression which you can use in times of your menstrual periods. Yoga helps you strengthen your abdominal muscles which would give effective relief if you get menstrual cramps.

For pregnant women, the breathing techniques that you learn in yoga can also be helpful when you give birth since they will help you concentrate on the delivery of your baby.

  • Fish pose – this particular pose would be great for relaxing and it can help improve your breathing. This will help improve your nervous system and your responsiveness as well. It also helps strengthen the muscles in your neck and back.
  • Hero pose – this particular pose would be the best one to use if you only want to have a period of time for meditation
  • Cat pose – if you want to relax your muscles then you should do this yoga pose. Anyone can do this regardless of age and physical condition.

These are just three of the many yoga postures that women can do to help improve their health. For better tolerance and more strength to face every day stressors and dilemmas, start doing yoga regularly.

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Add Calisthenics in your Daily Routine

December 1, 2009 By marie Leave a Comment

There are a lot of ways to lose weight and stay fit and doing calisthenics is one of them. Calisthenics exercises can significantly help improve your overall fitness, strength and physique. In fact, calisthenics originated from the Greek words “kalos” meaning beauty and “thenos” meaning strength.

Calisthenics involve a number of simple movements that are performed without the use of weights or other equipments. In this exercise, your body weight is being used for resistance. Calisthenics provide you an efficient and balanced exercise program promoting resistance, flexibility, vigor, agility and coordination. Common examples of calisthenics are sit-ups or crunches, squats, jumping jacks, and arm and knee rotation.

Your calisthenics routine should be followed carefully. This is because calisthenics exercises increases the metabolic rate of your body and should therefore be done continuously in a smooth flow from one exercise to the other.

Take note that a three minute break should be done between each exercise. Basic repetitions are done five times and as you get used to the exercise pattern it is advised that you increase the number of repetitions.

Always start slowly and exercise according to what your stamina can take. It is best to exercise according to your energy level for the day. Always begin with the core exercises and do the advanced ones later.

Calisthenics must be practiced in a clean place where the flooring is level. A padded floor mat will definitely be helpful. Good ventilation and lightning will help raise your energy levels as well.

To make it more fun, you can do your calisthenics workout while playing music and follow the rhythm.

Take note that if you feel any form of discomfort such as dizziness or shortness of breath, you should stop exercising and take a rest for a while.

There are a lot of advantages when it comes to doing calisthenics. They can be done anywhere and they are effective workouts for any age group. There is no need for weights or equipments which means it is a cheaper alternative to going to the gym.

So if you want to condition your body in a natural way, then you should add calisthenics to your daily routine and get the benefits of staying fit and getting strong.

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Live a Healthy Lifestyle

November 7, 2009 By marie Leave a Comment

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Everyone is into the healthy lifestyle lately. This is because in times like these, getting sick is not an inviting option for those who can not afford to lose a day at work. Living a healthy lifestyle will also help lessen the amount of stress that you receive. This is why it is very important that you get to incorporate healthy benefits in your daily routine.

But maintaining a healthy habit may look harder than it seems especially if you are not a health conscious person from the start. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to make things easier. Here are some tips that you can do when it comes to incorporating healthy habits in your lifestyle:

First of all you have to keep things simple. Do not incorporate habits that would end up giving you more stress instead of relieving stress. Stay away from habits that would only complicate your life. For example, if you find that doing pilates can be difficult for you then do not force yourself to go through it. This will only frustrate you and may end up making you feel bitter about having to go healthy. Choose something that is easier for you to do such as Jogging every morning.

Of course it is important that you must not force something that will not fit into your lifestyle. For example, if you are not a morning person then it is best that you do not choose a morning exercise routine. This will just be too difficult for you to maintain. If you have kids at home to take care of then do not get health practices that would require silence and privacy such as meditation.

One way to find out which habits are good or bad for you is to identify your strengths and weaknesses. This will help you find an effective stress reliever. If you find that you have a creative and active imagination then visualization can help you. If you find that you are good with words then you can try journaling as your release.

Careful evaluation of yourself can help you make a choice easily regarding which healthy habits to take up.

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Exercise Safely

October 29, 2009 By marie Leave a Comment

When it comes to doing exercises, today’s fitness professionals are becoming more sophisticated in terms of their exercise recommendations and safety issues. There are some exercises that have a higher degree of risk to you compared to other people. Some exercises would require more skill and fitness in order to be executed properly and safely. So how would you know which exercises are safe for you? Here are some tips to find out if you are practicing exercise habits that are too risky:

One unhealthy habit when it comes to exercising is not resting. Most beginners would hit the gym with so much intensity because they aim to lose weight in just a matter of days. Overworking your body can lead to sickness and injuries. You have to balance rest days with your exercise days and make sure that you allow the body to recover from the stress of training.

If you notice that you are feeling pain then this means something is wrong. Ignoring the pain and working through it is one of the fastest ways to lead you to chronic injuries. It is important that you stop whatever you are doing and do some rest when you start feeling pain.

Doing one type of exercise alone is not safe as well. This is because you will only be stressing out the same muscle groups and doing the same movement patterns repeatedly. There is a reason why you are asked to do a few rounds of different types of exercise in a day. Doing one type of exercise can put a tremendous amount of strain in your muscles, ligaments and tendons which could cause inflammation, irritation and even stress. This can also lead to muscle imbalance, alignment problems and weakness.

When doing weight training exercises then you should be aware of how much you can take. It is important that you do not attempt to carry something that is heavier than what you can bear. If you are having a hard time maintaining proper form when lifting then this means that the weight is too heavy for you.

It is best to talk to experts also but you should not rely on them. You have to use common sense in order to avoid any injuries. It is very important that you listen to your body.

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The Rites of Tibetan Yoga

September 7, 2009 By marie Leave a Comment

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Tibetan yoga is a simple exercise that you can do to help improve your mental and physical health. The Rites of Tibetan Yoga was said to be discovered by a Colonel of the British Army while he was on duty in the East. The colonel was said to owe his youthfulness to this exercise.

The Tibetan rites allow your spiritual energy to move throughout your body. This spiritual energy is referred to as Kundalini in Tibetan Yoga and was said to be stored at the base of your spine. The Rites of Tibetan Yoga will help mobilize your kundalini in order to have a better body and mind.

The first Rite is called Spinning. All you have to do is to extend your arms to the side and spin clockwise. Start off slowly then go faster without getting to lose control. If you feel dizzy, it is best that you stop. After repeating this three times, you are to lie down on the floor to get some rest.

The second rite is the Leg Rises. Lying flat on your back, extend your arms on the side of your body with your palms against the floor. Slowly raise your head and place your chin against your chest. Lift your legs while keeping your knees straight in a vertical position. Then slowly return to your initial position. Repeat for three times.

Another rite is called the Camel. You are to kneel on the floor with your body erect and your knees under your hips. Place your hands on the back of your buttocks then slowly tilt your neck and head forward while arching your spine. Then return to the initial position. Repeat three times.

Ten to fifteen minutes per day of these simple exercises is enough to improve your health. After finishing your exercise routine, lay flat on your stomach and keep your chin on the ground. Close your eyes and relax while you wait for your heart and breathe to function at a normal rate.

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Breathe well while working out

August 26, 2009 By marie Leave a Comment

yoga11Ever felt like you are going through too much fatigue and that you have over exerted your efforts during a work out session? This is not because you have done too much. It could be because you are not breathing well.

Starting your exercise with proper breathing is important. If not, you will just end up panting like a dog on a hot day throughout the whole exercise. Not only that but you will not be able to accomplish the right amount of exercise in one session properly.

One of the most common errors that you people usually make is that they do not breathe correctly while doing their exercises. Breathing incorrectly during work out sessions can cause high blood pressure. This is why most people can not get the most of their workouts and actually end up feeling so tired after every session. Here are some tips to help you avoid fatigue after your exercises through proper breathing:

When you are doing a particular exercise, identify which parts make you exert the most efforts. When you reach that part, breathe out. For example, if you are doing sit ups it is best to breathe out every time you lift your body from the floor.

It is important that you should never try to hold your breath while exercising. People often make the mistake of holding their breath especially when it comes to weight lifting. Holding your breath can make you feel dizzy and can lead to fatigue. It can also lead to high blood pressure. When you exercise it is important that your muscles get enough oxygen.

During the rest part of the exercise, breathe. If you are doing more dynamic exercises, then you should be doing fast paced rhythms when it comes to your breathing. Doing controlled exercises like Yoga and Pilates allows you to do fuller and slower breaths.

Proper breathing while conducting your exercises makes the whole work out session less strenuous and gives you the energy to actually do even more. Knowing how to exercise correctly with the right diet is the best way to get closer to your goals.

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Breathe and Be Strong with Qigong

August 1, 2009 By marie Leave a Comment

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3,000 years ago, as people in ancient China struggled to survive; they realized that they were able to breathe fully and more deeply through the help of meditation and specific movements. Thus was the birth of the art of Qigong.

Qi is a Chinese character that means “air” while Gong means “great effort”. Practitioners of Qigong are working to help their patients have a healthier balance of body, spirit and mind that is essential for an energetic and healthier lifestyle

Qigong is a natural method in which you try to hold in balance two polar extremes of the human condition – the Yin and the Yang. Practitioners believe that any disruption of balance between Yin and Yang causes all kinds of disruptions such as sickness.

By exercising your body, maintaining good posture and relaxing your mind, balance is obtained. Those who practice Qigong massage themselves as they exercise their limbs and practice breathing properly by making long and slow inhales through their noses and slow exhales through their mouths.

If you practice Soft Qigong, you will be concentrating more on meditation and low impact exercises that are designed for posture and  alignment. This type of Qigong is the best for beginners and for those who have limited motion of their arms and legs.

Hard Qigong involves a higher impact and martial arts like exercises that strengthens your body and are designed to help you ward off attacks. This is why most martial arts use Qigong as its basis.

Today there are over 200 forms of Qigong practiced all over the world.

Qigong is found to improve mental concentration and improve the functions of your body. In fact, Qigong has been used as part of the medical routine in most Chinese hospitals since 1989 due to its health benefits.

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Dancing towards good health

July 28, 2009 By marie Leave a Comment

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If you are not fond of exercising to get a toned body then you should try taking Dance Movement Therapy. Dancing is now being used as a means of restoring and improving mental health. Aside from giving you a toned body, it also restores balance between the body, spirit and mind.

It has been proven scientifically that dance therapy has a beneficial effect when it comes to the treatment of psychological and mental health problems. That way, there is minimal need to use drugs which can have some serious side effects.

Dancing can lift the mood of the patient and can reduce anxiety. In dancing, the movement greatly appeals to one’s emotions which greatly affect the patient’s mood.

Dance Movement Therapy is different from ordinary dancing classes since a dance teacher is more concerned on technique and the appearance of the dance. Aside from that most teachers teach a specific form of dance only. A dance therapist on the other hand does not really care about dance technicalities because he or she usually employs free dance in order for the patient to create their own personal expression. Aside from that, there are no criticisms in dance movement therapy – there is no right or wrong way to dance.

The therapy can help you find within yourselves solutions to your problems while you dance. There is this feeling that the dancers are able to find an answer without putting it into words. Dancing is a right brain activity which allows subconscious and intuitive levels to function more.

This type of therapy encourages you to take a holistic view of yourself and your surroundings. Music does not only heal the soul. Dancing does too!

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Home remedies for common health problem

July 28, 2009 By marie Leave a Comment

Asian herb tea on an old rustic table

Going to the doctor regularly can be very expensive especially these days when everyone’s feeling the impact of the economic crisis. Most people do not realize that there are ways to solve the littlest health problems in the comforts of your own home through alternative health treatments.

Back Pain

There are a lot of factors that causes back pain, wearing high heels is one of them. Wearing high heeled footwear can cause the back to arch that can result to back pain. A stiff mattress can also be the cause of you having regular back pains. No matter what the cause may be, a small amount of non strenuous exercise from time to time can help your back’s muscles to relax and work in order. You can try to take up swimming for example or put ice on your back to ease the tension.

Cold

There are a lot of home remedies that you can do yourself to ease the common cold. Aside from Vitamin C supplements, Zinc lozenges have been proven to help you get over a cold at a faster rate. Chicken soup is a common alternative remedy that helps eases the symptoms of a building cold.

Sore Throats

If you have to communicate with a lot of people at work sore throats can be a major pain and hurdle to deal with. You can use garlic supplements when it comes to easing the pain. Or you can drink a glass of hot water with honey and lemon in it. Another way to help ease the pain of sore throats is to gargle with warm salt water.

Nausea

Ginger is the best alternative medicine for nausea. You can prepare tea and add ginger in it or by ginger supplements. Ginger ale will also help at the same way. If you are not exactly fond of ginger, you can use chamomile tea or peppermint tea to reduce the feelings of nausea.

However if you are experiencing serious and excruciating pain, it is best to see a doctor immediately.

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